#and he probably kept going thinking that's what he could do for her

[samgirl98]

Heart Stopper

Written for @silverblueglitter, I hope you like it

Danny’s body had developed a bad habit: his heart and breath would stop while sleeping.

If it hadn’t been for Jazz freaking out one Saturday afternoon after finding him, presumably, dead on the couch when he had been napping, he probably never would have found out. After going to Frostbite and being told it was just a new normal for him, Danny stopped worrying about it. Besides, the ecto in his body ensured that he was kept fine and healthy while asleep or knocked unconscious. He made sure not to take naps in places where he could be found, which sucked when he was in school.

It helped that his friends and sister were there to aid in keeping him awake.

Still, half-life moved on, and Danny adapted as he did with everything else thrown at him.

For example, he was currently in Gotham, trying to find Batman for help. Although it had taken a lot of effort to leave Amity Park while it was under lockdown, he had been able to do it. Now, if only he could find Batman or one of his associates.

Danny looked at the vast city from above while invisible. He wondered where he should even start looking.

He sighed. Well, there was no point in wondering. Danny flew lower and started looking at the shadows. Eventually, he would find someone.

At least, he hoped so.

Danny flew around for a few hours before he saw a dark shadow moving. It was a woman with her face fully covered in a bat-shaped mask.

Finally, someone who could help. Danny landed on a different roof and detransformed. He would get the help Amity Park needed, no matter what.

____

In Cass’ defense, no one had ever sneaked up on her. At least, not that she could remember.

So, when she heard a voice suddenly speak behind her, she reacted without thinking and kicked in the voice’s direction. Too late, she noticed it was just a kid—a kid who folded like a wet paper towel.

“Umph,” he said before going down.

“Oh, no,” Cass ran toward the boy to make sure he was okay.

Cass knew the moment she saw him. She could read the body better than a children’s book. The boy wasn’t breathing.

He was dead.

Still, she put her fingers on his neck, hoping against all hope that he was fine, that he was alive.

She exhaled sharply; there was no pulse, no breath.

Cass felt her body go ice cold. Her heart stopped and started beating double time.

She had killed someone. Not just anyone, but an innocent boy. What would Bruce think? The rest of her family? Would they kick her out?

Cass felt sick.

She took off her full-cover mask and threw up.

She killed someone. She killed someone!

With shaking hands, Cass turned on her coms.

“Black Bat to Oracle. I need help.”

“This Oracle, what’s wrong,” came the automated voice through the com.

Cass sobbed.

“Black Bat, what’s your status?”

“I did something bad,” she whispered. “I—I accidentally. It was an accident!”

Cass got to her knees beside the dead boy—the boy she had killed.

Oracle must’ve hijacked her lenses.

“Is that—is he dead?”

“Accident,” she wailed out.

“Black Bat, stay where you are,” Came Batman’s voice.

Cass felt relief and trepidation at the same time. Batman would fix this; he would make things right.

Batman would judge her; he could throw her in Arkham.

“Please,” she said, “please.”

Cass brought her knees up to her chest. She was a murderer. A murderer! She killed someone, an innocent boy who had done no wrong. She felt her stomach revolting again and turned around, not wanting to accidentally defile the boy by vomiting on top of him.

Cass heard the swish of a cape.

Batman was here. He went straight to her and held her.

“It’ll be okay. Tell me what happened.”

“I—I was patrolling when I heard a voice behind me. I didn’t think; I kicked out and hit him. Then he fell, and he was…he was gone.”

“Hmm,” Batman hummed. He took off his glove to check for a pulse. When he found none, he started doing CPR. Cass felt stupid. She could’ve been doing that. Instead, she wasted precious time freaking out. When the CPR did nothing, Batman took out a Taser and started electrocuting the body.

It was unexpected.

One second, the boy was dead; the next, he woke up yelling.

“What the actual fuck?!”

The boy got up and leaped away from them.

“Why would you electrocute me?”

“You were dead,” Cass said instead of answering the question, “I saw you. You weren’t breathing; your heart had stopped.”

“So you decided to electrocute me?”

“We wanted to bring you back,” Batman said, “we apologize.”

“You kicked me,” he accused.

“Yes, you surprised. I’m sorry for—for killing you,” she said.

“Hmm, you didn’t kill me; I was unconscious. I stop breathing, and my heart stops when I sleep, or I’m not conscious. It’s a quirk of mine.”

“What?”

“Yeah, sorry for traumatizing you,” he said while rubbing the back of his neck.

“Ask him if there’s a reason he snuck up on Black Bat,” Oracle asked.

“Is there a reason you were snuck up behind me,” Cass asked.

“Oh, yeah, there is actually! Sorry about that. I forget how quiet I am. Anyway, I need help from the Justice League, and when I saw you, I figured you could contact Batman.”

“Why do you need the Justice League?”

Cass never thought she would be so happy to see someone take a deep breath. She would listen to the boy and help however she could. That’s what he wanted: help.

“Have you ever heard of the Anti-Ecto Laws?”

So danny's heart stops when he sleeps it's annoying but thanks to the ecto in his veigns ot doen't really caus any problems

Unfortunatly it also stops when he's more forceably knocked uncosnious like say a punch to the face from a vigilantes when he was going up to let them know what was happening with amity park

Now the said vigilante is panicing thinking they just somehow punched kid to death now

[callsign-rogueone]

some girl on a horse

Sawyer Henrick x reader (peach!) words: 4k 🏷: major iron flame spoilers in this one, peach is a horse girl lowkey, temporary heartbreak, miscommunication (or just lack of communication), sawyer should really be in the doghouse here but he's too damn cute to be mad at, sweetheart cameo... that's all I got. onyx storm tomorrow! why am I dreading it...

With each passing day, it has become more clear that you and Sawyer are done playing pretend. He’s fulfilled his duty, and is probably glad to be done with it, not having to cross the bridge to go see you every day, or to spend his weekends with you in town. He has better things to do as a rider, and an executive officer at that. 

Maybe this was the will of the universe, having your paths split, then cross, then split again. It was childish to think that you’d stay close forever, that he’d stick around longer than he had to. He’d invited you out with his friends as a nicety, and then been too polite to decline when Rhiannon had volunteered him to be your knight in shining armor. You’d been an obligation to him, nothing more. 

But there had been so many moments where you saw something like love in his eyes when he’d looked at you, felt it in his touch and heard it in his words.

He’d have made a great stage actor.

Hot tears slip down your cheeks, blurring your view of the setting sun. You’ve started spending your free time out by the end of the bridge. You can’t cross it, but you can sit there and wait. And wait you do — a book laying in your lap unread, your hands numbing from the cold wind as you gaze across the river.

Your heart leaps every time anyone comes by, falling harder each time you realize it’s not him. It’s getting dark earlier each day, getting closer to the solstice. If Sawyer and his friends have really dumped you, then that’ll be a lot fewer presents to make. 

But the boy you’d grown up with wouldn’t do this to you. He was good to the core, always one to do the right thing, the one person you could always rely on and could always trust to keep your secrets, that you’d been content to die beside when that fire had swept through the village all those years ago.

That’s what’s kept you putting on the necklace he’d given you each day after you say your prayers, kept you reading the death rolls every morning for his name and waiting out here every afternoon for any sight of him — the belief that he’d come back to you if he could.

He’ll be back tomorrow, a little bruised but otherwise intact, and you’ll bandage him up, and everything will be alright. It’ll go on like that until July, when you graduate and get shipped off… somewhere, and then maybe the gods will be kind enough to let your paths cross again.

You’d quietly accepted that you’d drift apart at school, but now that he’s back in your life, losing him is going to hurt so badly.

Your friend bursts through the doorway, panting. “The riders are leaving.”

“What?”

“Look,” she wheezes. 

Your heart drops at the sight: at least a hundred dragons all flying straight overhead. Dozens of them are red, and any one of them could be Sawyer’s. Did he leave with them? Where are they going? Is something terrible happening, and they were called in as reinforcements? 

They’re headed south, not west — not to the border with Poromiel. Navarre probably isn’t going to war, then. But what else would demand that much firepower? 

Nothing good, that’s for certain.

————————

Rumors swirl around the quadrant for the next few days, every patient and healer having something to say about the week’s events.

Are we sure this isn’t just another one of their games?

Traitors, the lot of them. They should be rounded up and hung.

I’m sure there’s a reason why they left. Maybe they know something we don’t. 

Someone calls your name down the hall; Yara, a scribe cadet you’d befriended last year.

“It’s good to see you— oh!” you squeak in surprise as she pulls you into a hug — you hadn’t taken her for a hugger, and you really aren’t that close.

“Don’t react,” she whispers into your hair, “but his name is on the list. He left, and the rest of his squad, too. The Sorrengail girl, at least.”

You blink, stunned. “To where?”

“They’re saying Riorson led them all to Tyrrendor. That venin and wyvern are real, but the leadership and the crown are ignoring the threat.” She breaks the hug, painting on a bright smile. “Me and some of the girls are going out for drinks this weekend. You should go.”

You search her eyes for some indicator that she’s hinting at what you think she is.

“It’ll be a bit of a hike,” she continues, “but we’ve done crazier things.”

Have you, really? What she’s suggesting would be capital-I Insane, and potentially land you in prison. And wyvern and venin are just fairy tales, aren’t they?

You chew your lip, thinking. If Yara is right, and Violet, the smartest person you know, had left with the rest of them, there must have been some pretty damning evidence to convince her. And if she left, then Sawyer, Ridoc, and Rhiannon definitely went with her. 

“Maybe,” you respond a moment later than appropriate for the conversation you appear to be having. “I don’t know if it would be the best idea — I have a botany test that I really need to study for.”

“Understandable. Let me know either way. Good seeing you!”

“You too,” you manage, your heart and mind both racing. Did she really suggest that you follow them to Tyrrendor, or are you going completely insane?

There’s only one person you can talk to about this.

—————

“I can’t decide if this is the best idea you’ve ever had, or the worst,” Sarah offers around a yawn.

“Hopefully not the worst,” you reply, looking around the barn. Your eyes settle on a chestnut mare, the only one awake at this hour. “Hi, girl. You wanna go on an adventure with me?” She snorts softly, happily letting you scratch at her chin. “I’m taking that as a yes.” You turn back to Sarah. “If anyone asks…”

“I have no idea where you are. Do you have everything you need?”

“I think so. I took everything I care about, so if they want to assume I’m dead, I’m fine with you burning it all.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t get to that point.”

“Thank you for everything,” you say softly, pulling her into a hug. “I’ll write from the road — or your uncle Fergus will. Leave her stall and the barn open. Some idiot forgot to lock up properly and she bolted.”

“This is why you’re the smart one. Too bad you’re absolutely nuts.”

You laugh, quieting as you realize that it’s still very much four in the morning, and you’re supposed to be making a silent exit. 

“I really fucking hope you’re right about this,” she whispers, holding you tighter.

“Me too.”

The horse lets you saddle and mount easily, walking you toward the door. “Alright, girl,” you say, patting her neck. “Let’s see how fast you can go.”

————————————

“Did you need something?” Brennan asks the infantry officer, looking rather peeved that he’d interrupted his lecture. 

“We have a bit of a situation,” he says quietly, embarrassed. “There’s some girl on a horse outside, says she’s a healer. Came all the way from Basgiath.”

Second squad exchanges a look.

“There’s only one healer I know that’s crazy enough to do that,” Rhiannon whispers.

Violet looks over at her, incredulous. “You don’t think…” 

Ridoc grins from ear to ear, clapping a hand onto Sawyer’s shoulder. “Why are you still here? Go get your girl.”

Sawyer bolts from his seat, ignoring Brennan’s protests as he races down the hall toward the front gates. “She’s on our side,” he calls, and the two guards lower their swords, letting him through.

Your head snaps up at the voice, your body flooding with relief at the sight of him. You spring forward and hug him tightly, clutching the black leather of his jacket for dear life. “You’re alive,” you breathe, and his heart cracks right down the middle. “Gods, Sy, I was so scared… The leadership wouldn’t tell us anything, and I didn’t hear from you or Violet or Ridoc or anyone… I waited for you at the bridge every day, but you never came, and I thought…”

He wraps his arms around you, letting you rest your head on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry, peach,” he whispers, rife with guilt. “It hurt so fucking bad to leave you behind, but I knew you’d be safer there, under the wards.”

You’re crying now, tears slipping down your cheeks and seeping into the fabric of his shirt. “Don’t tell me that anything is safer than being with you.”

He holds you a little closer, rubbing your back gently — slow sweeps of his palm, up and down, up and down, letting you get it all out. 

“I mean it,” you sniff, still clinging to him. “I need you, Sy. I don’t ever want to be away from you like that again.”

“Hey,” he soothes, holding you closer, “I swear to every god who’s listening that I will never leave you behind again. You have my word.”

“Good,” you say in that same cracked whisper you’d used when you’d agreed to let him protect you from James, to play pretend with him.

He continues to whisper soft reassurances to you, rubbing your back. “I’m okay. Everyone is okay. They’re all here, Ridoc and Violet and Rhiannon and everyone. They’re all safe.”

That makes you feel a little better — you’ve become deeply attached to his squad in the last three months, and you couldn’t bear the thought of any of them being injured, or worse. “Is it true?” you ask softly. “All those fairy tales about wyvern and dark magic?”

“It is,” he says quietly. “All of it.”

You exhale deeply, sitting with the information for a moment. “I don’t know what to say,” you admit.

“That’s okay,” he says quietly. “You don’t have to say anything.”

Your tears have dried by now — you don’t have any left, likely because you’re so dehydrated. Water had been scarce the last few days. 

He finally puts it together. “Did you steal a horse?”

“I prefer the term liberated,” you wheedle, and Cinnamon chuffs softly in agreement.

“From who?”

“Some poor infantry cadet. They didn’t treat her right, anyway.”

He laughs, bewildered. “You’re absolutely crazy, Peach.”

“Yeah,” you laugh, waving him off, “but you love it.”

He holds you tighter, letting you lean into him — you’re exhausted, your entire body sore from your journey. “I do,” he says softly. “I do love it. I love everything about you.”

Your breath catches. “Sawyer…” you whisper, a warning that you’re getting close to something you can’t ever come back from. 

He ignores it. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I’m so grateful that you came back into my life when you did. I don’t want to play pretend anymore. I want this to be real.”

“I want that too,” you say quietly. “I was going to tell you the day that you left.”

“I’m so sorry,” he murmurs. “I promise you that I’ll spend the rest of my days making it up to you.”

“I don't think I was ever really pretending,” you admit into his shoulder.

He laughs softly, his chest shaking against yours. “I wasn’t either.” You shiver, burrowing into him further — it’s freezing out here, but he’s impossibly warm. “Alright. Let’s get you ladies inside.” 

Cinnamon lets him take the reins easily, trusting him to be gentle with her after seeing the way you ran to him and hugged him so tightly. 

You stay tucked into his side as you make the short walk to the stables. 

He turns to you after a moment, pausing his work of undoing the tack. “Wait. It’s a twelve-hour flight from here to the school… When did you leave?”

“Nine days ago,” you answer tiredly. “It would have been eight, but there was a rockslide in the mountains, so I had to double back and take the long way round.”

“Nine days?” he echoes. “How did you…”

“I followed the south star,” you explain, gazing up at him. “And then a friend of ours found me, and led me the rest of the way here.”

“You’re welcome,” Sliseag adds.

Sawyer blinks for a second, processing. “You two never cease to surprise me.”

You laugh, the puff of breath visible in the air. “Him and I have an understanding.”

“Evidently so,” he agrees, finishing up.

You step outside, tilting your head up to watch the flakes fall. “Just like home.”

He smiles, tugging you closer. “Just like home,” he agrees, leaning his head down…

You put your hand in front of your mouth to stop him. “That’s not a good idea,” you squeak, your cheeks warming. 

He looks at you, confused and a little hurt.

“Sy, I’ve been camping for the last three days,” you prompt, embarrassed. “There weren’t any inns between here and Deaconshire.”

It dawns on him after a second. “Ah.”

“Yeah. So if there’s a bathtub and a sink in that castle back there, I’d like to use them.”

———————

He isn’t expecting you to start stripping so fast, but you’re so eager to be out of your dirty clothes and into the warm water that you don’t think about the fact that Sawyer is still standing there.

He whirls around as soon as he realizes.

“Facing the wall and closing your eyes? I’m almost a little offended,” you tease.

You can see how red his cheeks are in the mirror as he responds. “It’s called being respectful. I’m gonna find you some clean clothes. I’ll be back.”

You hum, letting your head tip back against the tiled wall. By the time Sawyer returns, you’ve washed up, and are just relaxing, enjoying the moment of peace. The warm water is so nice after the freezing cold weather outside, and besides the last week of traveling, you haven’t taken a real bath in two and a half years — showering at Basgiath just isn’t the same. 

“You about ready? It’s almost dinnertime, and you need to eat something.”

You whine in protest, sinking deeper into the water.

“Okay,” he concedes. “Five more minutes. But you’re gonna get all pruney.”

You wiggle your fingers at him playfully. “Oh, it’s too late. I’ve been pruned.”

He rolls his eyes. “What am I going to do with you?”

“C’mere,” you coax, sitting up a bit and resting your forearms on the edge of the tub, leaning toward him.

He settles onto the floor, at eye level with you.

“I brushed my teeth,” you tell him. “So I’m ready for that kiss now. Are you gonna do it, or should I—” Your sentence is interrupted with a soft whimper as he pulls you forward with a hand on your jaw, guiding you into a dizzying kiss. Water sloshes against the side of the tub as you rise up onto your knees, wanting him even closer, but you have to pull back for air. 

“Minty fresh,” he pronounces, brushing his nose against yours.

“Gods,” you breathe, “Why didn’t we do this earlier?”

“I have no idea. But we have the rest of our days to make up for it.”

It’s your turn to tug him forward. You bring a hand up to cradle his cheek, sending water droplets running down the side of his neck, but he doesn’t seem to mind, still entirely focused on you as the kiss gets deeper and deeper, making up for lost time.

He pulls back after a moment, and you whine softly, pouting up at him as he stands. “Dinner,” he reminds you gently. “We can pick this back up later tonight.”

That seems to appease you — there’s that mischievous little twinkle in your eye, the one he loves so much. “I’m holding you to that,” you warn.

“Please do,” he answers a little too quickly, holding out a thick towel and turning his gaze to the wall so you can get up.

“Averting your eyes again? Ouch.”

He reddens, still looking away. “If I see you naked right now, we won’t make it to dinner.”

You giggle, taking the towel from him and pressing a kiss to his flushed cheek. “You, Sawyer Henrick, are adorable.”

He clears his throat, gesturing to the pile on the counter and changing the subject. “I think these should fit.”

Black on black, of course. This castle… palace? fortress? is full of riders. At least it’s cotton fabric and not all leather — that would be a bitch to put on with wet skin.

You throw your still-dripping hair into an easy style; you’ll take the time to dry it and detangle and everything later. “This feels like a hallow’s eve costume. All I need is the jacket,” you joke, examining your reflection.

He shrugs his off, draping it over your shoulders, and your heart nearly stops. 

You’d had his tongue in your mouth not three minutes ago, but this somehow feels even more intimate — wearing his jacket, with his name over your heart, being wrapped in his scent and the warmth of his body that lingers on the fabric... Definitely against regulation, but so are a lot of things you’ve done in the last week, namely taking an unplanned and unsanctioned leave of absence from Basgiath with no real plans to return. 

You’ll deal with those consequences later. Maybe.

—————

You freeze at the sight of the group of people entering the hall, their brown uniforms and the quivers of arrows over their shoulders marking them as gryphon fliers. You’ve never seen one in person before. 

“It’s a very long story, but they’re on our side now,” Sawyer explains, but he still holds you a little closer anyway — it’s unclear if he doesn't fully trust them, or if he just wants to comfort you in the presence of the people you’d been taught to treat as enemies.

“That should not have been a surprise after everything else you told me,” you laugh, but the sight of them still makes you a little nervous. 

He stops at one of the long tables and drops a kiss to your forehead. “Sit. I’ll get you some real food.”

Rhiannon is the first to spot you. “I told you it had to be her!”

“I almost didn’t recognize you,” Violet says, wide eyed.

You laugh, settling into an open spot on the bench. “I feel like a little kid playing dress-up. But at least I don’t stick out so much anymore. The blue was a little…”

“I thought it was nice,” someone says quietly — a girl sitting next to Ridoc with a book open in front of her. You recognize her from the infirmary; he had brought her in one morning, covered in cuts and bruises. A little butterfly had fluttered around her the whole time, landing on your arm once as you worked.

You offer her a soft smile. “Glad to see you in one piece.”

“I hear you’re our newest healer,” someone greets — a man who looks a bit older than you. Your eyes catch on the Lieutenant Colonel insignia on his jacket, and then the mender’s patch. He must be the equivalent of Nolon around here.

“Yes, sir,” you answer shyly, suddenly a little embarrassed to be wearing someone else’s uniform. “Or one in training, anyway.”

“We’ll take what we can get. Come by the infirmary tomorrow, and we’ll get you started.” He pats Sawyer on the shoulder in passing, giving him a knowing smile. “Your squadmates can fill you in on what you missed this afternoon.”

Sawyer reddens. “Thank you, sir.”

You wait until he returns to the head table before you look back at Violet, wide-eyed. “Is that…”

She nods. “Officially, he isn’t. But yes, that’s my brother. How did you know?”

“You have the same smile. And the signet patch — Nolon talks about your brother all the time. He’s the best mender there’s been in a hundred years.”

“He’s pretty good,” she concedes. “Second only to Lieutenant Avan, but don’t tell him I said that.”

Your ears prick up at the mention of the girl. “Is she here too? How’s she doing?”

“You know her?” Ridoc’s girl asks, curious. 

You nod. “She came in all the time with Professor Carr to practice. Oh, I hated that guy. Poor girl always looked so uncomfortable around him, and he’d work her to the bone every time. I talked back to him once, telling him to let her stop before she keeled over, and I was sure that he’d get me in trouble for it, but he just gave me that creepy stare and left.”

“I know the one,” she says with a shudder. “He’s the worst.”

“Food,” Sawyer prods before you can reply, pushing the plate closer to you.

You roll your eyes at him, but you finally realize how hungry you are, tucking in to your first real meal in days — nothing fancy, just some kind of fish and vegetables and brown bread, but it’s much more appetizing than anything you’d had at any of those terrible inns in Deaconshire, and with much better company. You had to cut everything with one hand, the other under the table clutching Sawyer’s dagger to defend yourself against any of the other patrons, but praying that you wouldn’t have to. Mercifully, they’d all left you alone.

It feels like you’re back at school, crammed around one of the tiny tables at the tavern you’d frequented — the same laughter and easy chatter, as if you aren’t preparing for a war of proportion you don’t yet understand.

You keep up with the conversation for a little while, finishing your plate and resting your head on Sawyer’s shoulder for a moment, a gentle gesture of thanks. He wraps an arm around you, tucking you into his side as the squad continues to discuss several things that go in one ear and out the other, but are likely important to this effort — journals and runes and wards and the original six.

You can’t keep your eyes open. Now that you’ve reunited with Sawyer, gotten cleaned up and eaten something, the adrenaline has faded, and you just want to sleep for the next four days — in a real bed with real blankets, not a thin sleeping bag on the frozen ground.

“M’sorry,” you murmur. “Just really tired.”

He chuckles softly. “It’s okay, sweet girl. Let’s get you to bed.”

You bid everyone goodnight, trudging up endless flights of stairs to a barracks room that’s devoid of anything except a bed made up with plain sheets and the pack you’d taken from school. 

“Home sweet home,” he announces. “At least you don’t have a roommate. I get to deal with Ridoc twenty four hours a day now.”

You manage a laugh, kneeling down to look through your bag and setting a few things on the empty desk. “Now it’s home.”

He raises his eyebrows, amused. “Glad to see that your bunny made the cut when you were packing a bag to commit treason.”

“I wasn’t going to leave him behind after twenty years,” you defend, a little embarrassed.

“Understandable,” he offers. “Alright. You’ve got pajamas, bathroom’s down the hall, you have your key… you all set?” You nod in affirmation, and he kisses your forehead, giving you a soft hug before he turns toward the door. 

You whine softly, holding on a little longer. “You’re leaving?”

“I need to shower, but I can come back after, if you want.”

You cover a yawn with your hand. “That would be nice.”

“Alright. Get changed. I’ll be back.”

The door unlocking and the movement of the mattress under his weight stir you from your sleep. 

The bed is just barely big enough for the two of you, but you don’t mind, curling into his side and nuzzling your cheek into his shoulder. He’s warm, and the weight of his arms around you is soothing.

He presses a soft kiss to your forehead. “Get some rest. You’ve had a long week.”

[clarkeyhill]

pls could you do one where r doesn’t drink- maybe because of childhood or something else, and is worried what the boys (like the Arthurs, Chris, batch) will think, but George just supports and loves her? comfort and fluff omg 💔

Ofc!

-

Warnings: mention of drinking/alcoholism/trauma

Y/n had always lived with the weight of her childhood on her shoulders. Her father, once a loving and vibrant man, had been consumed by alcohol when she was too young to understand why. For years, she begged him to stop, cried as she cleaned up after his destructive habits, and promised herself she’d never touch a drop. That promise stuck with her into adulthood, shaping her life in ways she hadn’t always been able to explain.

When she met George, things began to change.

Their relationship grew quickly but deliberately, a steady build of trust and respect. George was kind, empathetic, and always made an effort to listen. When the conversation about boundaries arose, y/n hesitated. How could she share something so personal without sounding dramatic or broken? But George’s gentle reassurance had been her undoing. She told him everything, from the late-night arguments with her father to the times she had hidden bottles just to feel safe in her own home.

George had sat quietly, absorbing every word. And then, to her surprise, he vowed something she hadn’t expected.

“I’ll never make you feel uncomfortable,” he said. “Not about this, or anything else. Ever.”

And he kept his word.

So when George was invited for drinks with his friends—Arthur Hill, ArthurTV, and Chris—he was careful. He wanted to go, but he also knew how much the environment might bother her. Hesitant, he brought it up.

“You don’t have to come if you don’t want to,” he said. “But if you do, I’ll be right by your side the whole time.”

To his surprise, she said yes.

It wasn’t that she wanted to drink. That part of her life was off-limits, a hard line she would never cross. But what George didn’t know was how much she secretly enjoyed taking care of him on the rare occasions he indulged. She couldn’t explain it—it was probably some deep-seated need to provide the comfort and care she wished her father had accepted. But with George, it felt different. Healing, even.

When the night arrived, y/n was nervous. What would George’s friends think of her? Would they judge her for not drinking? Would they even understand?

As it turned out, George had been right—there was no judgment.

From the moment she arrived, Arthur Hill, ArthurTV, and Chris made her feel like she belonged. They were warm and funny, full of easy banter and stories that had her laughing so hard her stomach hurt. Not once did they question her choice not to drink. In fact, Chris, with a grin on his face, had toasted her glass of water like it was champagne, making everyone laugh.

“You fit right in,” George whispered to her at one point, squeezing her hand.

She smiled, feeling a sense of peace she hadn’t known she could find in a setting like this.

As the night wore on and the drinks flowed, George began to get tipsy. It was a side of him she rarely saw—soft and sleepy, his usual sharp wit dulled by a warm haze. She helped him into his coat at the end of the evening, and when he slurred out a thank-you, she couldn’t help but smile.

“Come on, love,” she said, guiding him toward the door.

The ride home was quiet, with George’s head resting against her shoulder, his breathing slow and even. Once they were inside, she helped him to bed, brushing his hair out of his eyes before tucking the blanket around him.

“You’re amazing, you know that?” he mumbled, his words thick with sleep.

“So are you,” she whispered, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

As she sat beside him, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest, she realized how far she’d come. The memories of her childhood would always be with her, but they no longer held her captive. With George and his friends, she had found a new kind of family—one that embraced her completely, quirks and all.

And for the first time in years, she felt whole.

-

🫶🏻

I'm loving these requests!🥺

[loveandleases]

What kind of picture of MC (if any) would the ROs have as their wallpaper? And what's MC's number saved as? Rn and later on in a relationship stage?

I remember answering something similar last year, but I can't find the photos from then. So...just gonna do it again.

❤️ Cam - He tends to switch it up. Sometimes he would have a candid of MC that he totally didn't take because he thought they looked good. Or, it's a photo of the two of them. For holidays, it's a holiday photo. Ugly Sweaters for Xmas, a costume for halloween. Then a very random photo of Cam wearing bunny ears in some short shorts for Easter, while MC holds the carrot. (Cam had bet MC and they lost so.) Cam has MC saved under Red, but it can change due to player choice.

But relationship Cam... relationship Cam has a photo that he is so proud to display but his desire to have MC to himself refuses to let him.

It begins just below MC's nose and cuts off at the edge of their waist. A silk sheet lays draped across their body, its delicate texture contrasting with the raw marks he has painted on their skin. Bite marks and hickeys across the parts that are visible. His hand cups their chin gently but possessively, with one finger hooked slightly under their lip, tugging it down just enough to reveal the soft flesh within. MC's lips would be agape, lips swollen and flushed.

💙 G - They claim they don't have a single photo of MC, but they actually have several. Even one from graduation when they were no longer talking. They don't have MC's current number, (yet), but if they did it would be of MC asleep while in the library studying, or curled up in their bed. They would save MC's name as their nickname.

One option for relationship stage G is: "My once and always"

G would use the graduation photo. It was bittersweet because they hadn’t been the one to make MC laugh that day. And they hadn’t stuck around long enough to notice how their expression fell when they looked for them, only to realize G was already gone. No goodbye.

G had taken the photo when no one was looking, back when they thought they’d never have the chance to see them again. Despite their hurt and stubbornness, they’d given in to the desire to remember—to hold onto what MC looked like when their face lit up, the way they could make the world fade away.

G still looked at that photo sometimes, especially on bad days. Especially after running into MC on the street. Because no matter how much they wanted to believe MC hadn’t changed... they had. And knowing they hadn’t been there to witness it, to experience it alongside them, killed a little part of G every time.

💚 Kara - It's an old photo from back when they worked together. Probably taken when Kara dragged MC to a night of drinks after a long day of work. She had talked MC into allowing her to take a photo for social media, but once she saw it she decided against it and kept it for herself. She has MC saved as "Babes or Boss" (That last one is full sarcasm for crushing stage Kara.)

She thought MC looked very free, they didn't have the expectations of work, of their family, or of Chris and their upcoming nuptials. For once they looked like someone who could finally breathe. MC was a different person when they worked, there was a quiet confidence in them back then. Not like now, and no matter how much she doesn't want to think/admit MC lost that bit of themselves after everything with Chris. So, she likes to think of MC from then, hoping to be able to see MC with that spark of confidence once more.

💛 M - They so badly want a photo of MC in a costume. But would settle for any. Relationship stage M would want a couple's photo or a still from one of the photo booths that they talked MC into going in on one of their dates. It looks so casual from an outside perspective, but in actuality M couldn't have been more nervous. They were falling all over themselves and so sure that they ruined the date. Only for a kiss at the end of the night.

Relationship stage M would want a photo of MC holding one of their books. To anyone else it's just a photo, but to M, it's so evocative and it excites them. A heavy lidded gaze full of desire... directed at the person behind the camera. At M.

M would save MC's number under "My Muse".

💜 Isaac - It would be a selfie MC sent them, when Isaac was trying their best not to care. To be as detached as possible, and yet they still saved that photo. It was like the first little sign that Isaac was growing attached, that MC was nothing like their sister. That Isaac had the capacity to care for someone after that. Though Isaac would totally be okay if it was a photo of MC in the back of their car.

Isaac would first save MC under 'not a model', a throwback to when Isaac very much thought otherwise when in Cam's studio. Relationship stage would be "My Anchor"

🖤 Ardent - 100% a photo of MC and Cupid, even before relationship stage. It would likely have been taken one of the many times MC had to bring Cupid back to him after she followed Cam home. (Cam The Cat Stealer Returns!) Now relationship stage, maybe a photo of the three of them. But if Ardent could get one of them and then including his niece... he would be like putty. That photo would be his wallpaper and screensaver. It would have been taken on one of their outings, probably to a fair when MC had to practically beg him to get on the rides. (Ardent will not admit the sound that came out of his mouth in the scare house. Nothing happened!)

I could see Ardent wanting a more sensual photo of MC, arms above their head and his hand holding their wrists. Or... probably his favorite. MC bent over his hand resting between their shoulders and their eyes closed in complete trust. Of course the photo ends before you can see their hips, or the way they're slotted together. There's a softness in MC’s expression, and in Ardent’s memory, the feeling of being in control, yet his emotions were anything but. He might have had a grip of the situation, but he didn't have one on how he felt.

MC is probably saved under "Brat" , "Trouble", or "Kitten".

[burningembers91]

Looking Up - Nam-Gyu x Fem!Reader

Follow up piece to:

Outside Looking In

In the Bleak Midwinter

Without You

Synopsis: Desperate to start afresh and build a life for the both of you, Nam-Gyu searches for a new job. But, with no qualification and no experience, will anyone take a chance on him?

A/N: I saw this gif and it instantly made me think of his itchy interview suit i’d pictured 🥹

Nam-Gyu’s suit was itchy, the fabric pinching at his skin as he sat in the waiting area. His tie was too tight, the uncomfortable compression around his neck making him squirm in his seat. He wasn’t sure why he’d let his brother talk him into borrowing his old suit; it was poorly fitting and the beige colour did nothing for him.

But Nam-Gyu had been desperate, and had nowhere else to turn. You’d been living together for two months now, both of you searching for different jobs that would hopefully lead to better prospects and more money. You’d manage to find a job in a florist, and although it paid almost as poorly as the hostess job, you were so happy. It was what you’d always wanted to do, and your boss was incredible.

Nam-Gyu had decided to take his father’s advice and find a proper job, something in insurance or finance. He’d always been so scared of having a “normal” job, so terrified of becoming another nobody. But he didn’t feel like that anymore; not with you. You made him feel like he could do anything, and for the first time in his life he was happy to blend peacefully into the background. He had you, and you were all he needed.

He’d been looking for jobs for weeks but had been turned down at every corner. He had no real experience, and had never stepped foot inside an office before. This junior finance assistant job was quite probably his last chance, otherwise he’d have to go searching for a job as a waiter. He wanted a job that could support you, that could relieve some of the financial stress you were both under. He’d been awake most of the night thinking about this interview, and as he sat waiting his palms were sweating.

His parents hadn’t spoken to him since the night they kicked him out. Nam-Gyu was hoping that if he got this job he could show his father how hard he’d been working, that he’d finally decided to grow up. He really wanted them to meet you as well, to meet the girl he’d fallen head over heels for. His brothers had met you, and while they would never admit it to Nam-Gyu, they thought you were perfect for him. You grounded their little brother, kept him stable but at the same time made him happier than they had ever seen him. He was an entirely different person around you, no longer cocky and brash, but sweet and gentle. You two were made for each other.

“Park Nam-Gyu?”

His head snapped up at his name to see a woman in a sharp suit eyeing him through a doorway.

“We’re ready for you now.”

Heading into the interview room, he tried to swallow his nerves, wiping his sweaty hands on his itchy suit. A group of two men and one woman sat opposite him, their faces stony as he sat down. His throat suddenly felt impossibly dry, his lungs no longer seemed to work. He couldn’t take a full breath, and he was desperate for a glass of water.

“Tell us a bit about yourself,” one of the men said. “Do you have any experience in finance or accounting?”

“Uh… well…” Nam-Gyu knew the interview was over before it had even begun. He had no experience of anything other than standing out in the cold handing out leaflets that nobody wanted. He’d been rejected for every job he’d applied for, and he knew this one wouldn’t be any different. So what did he have to lose?

“No, not as such.” He admitted. “I was a club promoter for many years. I spent most of my time trying to attract customers to different venues around Seoul.”

“And were you successful?” The woman asked, her razor sharp eyebrow raised high.

“For the most part,” he lied. He wasn’t going to make himself look like a complete idiot.

“So why the change of career?” She asked him.

“Well,” he smiled as he pictured you. “I fell in love. I didn’t think I ever would but I’ve met someone I want to spend the rest of my life with, and that means I need a job; a real job.”

He couldn’t tell how the rest of the interview went. He wasn’t able to answer any accounting related questions, but they asked him lots of questions about his life in general.

He had a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach as he made his way home, eager to shed the uncomfortable suit.

“How did it go?” You squealed, as soon he came through the front door. You’d been a bag of nerves all day, checking your phone every two minutes in case he’d texted you.

“I don’t know,” he admitted, hastily removing his suit jacket and pants. “I was honest and told them I didn’t have experience.”

You could sense his frustration, and you wished there was something you could do to help him. He’d been working so hard the last few months, studying accountancy books he picked up at the library, staying up until the early hours of the morning apply for jobs. You wished someone would take a chance on him, to see the hard worker he was.

The two of you spent the rest of the day on the sofa with the TV playing a show neither of you could concentrate on. Nam-Gyu kept checking his phone, refreshing his email every five minutes to see if anything had come through. With each passing minute, his hope waned. No one was going to take a chance on him; not that he blamed them. There was a cafe down the road that was looking for part time workers. He’d head there tomorrow and fill out an application.

It was late when his phone rang, the two of you half asleep in front of the TV. Nam-Gyu shot up at the sound, noticing a number on the screen he wasn’t familiar with.

“Oh my god! It could be them!” You cried, “answer it! Answer it!”

You clapped your hand over your mouth to stay silent, the nervous excitement almost bursting out of you.

“Hello?” He answered the phone, his voice shaking.

“Park Nam-Gyu, this is Kim Ha-Ri from the interview today. I’m just calling because we’d like to offer you the job.”

Nam-Gyu couldn’t speak for a few moments. He’d been so sure he hadn’t got it, was so sure he’d been passed over that he didn’t know what to say.

“Mr Park? Can you hear me?”

“Y-yes,” he stammered, shooting you a quick thumbs up, his face beaming. “That’s incredible, thank you much.”

“Can you start tomorrow? 8am?”

“Absolutely! Thank you so much, I’ll see you then.”

The call ended and he breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, finally things were starting to come together.

“I’m so proud of you,” you smiled, pulling him close to you. “You just watch. It’s only up from here, I promise.”

Nam-Gyu was determined to make this new job a turning point. He was going to make good money, find a new place for you both to live that wasn’t cramped and damp, save up enough that he could take you on holiday. He wanted to show his parents that he had changed, that he was capable of becoming a son they could be proud of.

For the first time in months, you both slept soundly, the prospect of a new life so close you could almost touch it.

[rekino2114]

Can you do something with fem!kaiser meeting male!reader's abusive ex before a match since she's in the team they're going against. The ex tells kaiser something about y/n that pisses her off, and that results in her and you going way harder than normal and completely destroying the team.

Also, since you said you liked childhood friends to lovers kaiser can you make that reader's parents abused him too, and that's how they bonded

Fem!kaiser meeting your abusive ex

A/n:so you know how I said I'd do blue lock post every week? Make that twice a week cause I got so many requests (I genuinely love you guys so much) and have so many ideas and I can't contain them. I chose this request cause I really liked the prompt and am in a kaiser mood this past few days

Kaiser took a deep breath as she heard all the cheers. It felt so nice to have all the people cheering for her and you, sure she stared a bit too much at the girls yelling about how hot you were and rolled her eyes at the few people who cheered for isagi. But the majority of the yells were for her and you, and she loved it. It felt so good to be loved and adored by all the fans. It felt so good to finally be someone, a sentiment she was sure you shared

As soon as your face appeared in her thoughts, kaiser started searching for you on the field, and she found you talking to isagi and Ness. Normally, she'd scoff and pull you away, scolding you for just talking with her enemy, but ever since noa announced who bastard would be playing against, you had been distant even to her. Whenever she tried to ask you what was wrong, you just dismissed it and told her it was nothing, so she didn't pry further, no matter how much she was worried about you.

She tried to go up to you but was stopped by someone tapping her back

"It's been quite a while, Michelle"

"What do you-"

The moment kaiser turned around and she saw who was talking to her, a look of pure hatred appeared on her blue eyes

"......what are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to say hi to-"

"Answer me"

"So you really became as cruel as people say, I really don't see what he sees in you"

Kaiser, now fully turned towards the mysterious girl, glared at her with the deadliest glare she ever gave anyone

"I said....answer me"

"If you really have to know, I got into football too, I'm the captain of this team you know?"

"Ah, makes sense, a team of losers I've never heard the name of captained by you"

"You better watch your mouth blue rose empress, I'm here for one thing and one thing only"

"A mediocre career that will get you nowhere?"

"I think we both know what i'm talking about"

Kaiser's eyes widened as the girl's gaze started drifting away from her and going to you

"I'm here to make y/n mine aga-"

Before she could even finish her sentence, the collar of her jersey was grabbed by kaiser who now was fully killing her with her glare

"Listen here, you waste of dna. Don't you ever dare utter his name again. You don't deserve to walk the same ground he walks on. You don't deserve to breathe the same air he breathes, you just think you can walk back into his life and ruin him again? I'll admit you have guts, or more probably you're just a brainless idiot who only does what she wants without thinking of the consequences"

She let her collar go which caused her to back down a bit and look up at kaiser

"The only reason why I haven't kicked you in the ribs yet is because this is being broadcasted and I care about my reputation"

The new gen 11 member looked again at the girl like she was nothing more than a bug she could step on at any moment because that was exactly what she was to her

"Y/n is my emperor, and I am his empress. If you dare come close to him again, I will murder you. That's a promise"

The girl gulped a bit in fear, knowing that kaiser was 100% serious, but still kept her smug smile on her face

"I guess you're not so cruel with your boyfriend after all"

"Of course, I'm not you"

"Whatever"

"I'll make you a deal. If you go kneel to him right now, I'll go easy on your team, by which I mean I will only score twice"

The girl now started laughing as kaiser's annoyance grew

"Kneel? You were serious about that emperor stuff?"

"Of course"

"As if! I'm sure he'll be the one kneeling to me by the end"

Kaiser's rage was now at it's limit but instead of snapping she just smiled and turned her back on the girl

"Thank you"

"Huh, for what?"

"I really didn't wanna go easy on you, plus"

She turned her face towards the girl, grinning menacingly and with a blue light coming out of her eyes

"Seeing your crying face as all your hope is crushed during this match and you kneel to y/n will be so amazing"

The girl started sweating at kaiser's menacing words, but the empress didn't give her any more attention as she started walking towards you

"Oh michelle-"

"Listen ness. In this match I want you to pass to y/n as much as you can, even if I'm free pass to him"

"Hm ok"

"Hey wait a second, what are you trying to do shitty rose-"

"Shut up, yoichi. I have more important things to do now"

She told them to get into their positions (ness basically dragged isagi) and approached you, her expression softening as saw how worried you were

"I'm sorry for not telling you she was on the team"

"It's fine"

"I know how much you hate her, I'm still sorry for all the pain I must have caused you, choosing her over you at first"

"I already told you it's fine, I should have beaten that bitch's ass when I found out what she was doing to you. I'll just settle for doing it in football"

"No, I understand why you didn't, you had.....your own issues"

Kaiser went to grab the ball and put it in the center ready for kick off

"Hey Michelle, can I ask you a favor?"

"Anything for you schatz"

You raised your head and looked at your girlfriend with fire coming out of your eyes and an aura enveloping you

"Can you help me destroy her?"

Hearing those words, kaiser smirked and matched your energy her own blue aura coming out of her even making her tattoo glow

"Did you even have to ask?

The match was an absolute massacre. It ended 8-0, 4 goals made by you, and 4 made by kaiser.

Speaking of kaiser, she was an absolute menace during the 90 minutes. It was like her objective was not to win but to demolish everything in your name, you genuinely thought you saw the ball go on fire with how many kaiser impacts she threw.

She also kissed you every time you scored, which wasn't something new. She always does that. But this time,her kisses were much more intense and passionate than the ones she usually gave you during matches, it was like she was was trying to claim you and make your ex mad, which you 100% agreed with so you kissed her back with just as much passion, enjoying the anger on your ex's face.

While you weren't as flashy as the blue rose empress, you still dominated the match too. It was simple, you just put all the hatred you felt for your ex and all the years of pain she put you through in your plays and kicks, and most of them resulted in goals.

When the referee blew his whistle and the match ended, you were immediately hugged and kissed by kaiser again. When she stopped the kiss she looked at you and grinned

"We won schatz, isn’t it wonderful? Not that I ever doubted that"

"Yeah, I never thought beating one of the people who ruined your life would feel so cathartic"

"Oh we haven’t fully beaten her yet"

"Hm?"

Kaiser pulled away from you and told you to follow her as she went on to approach your ex, whose eyes widened once she saw you

"Y-y-y/n!?"

"........how does it feel?"

"E-eh?"

"How does it feel knowing you're so inferior to us now"

"S-shut up! You just-"

"That's no way to talk to your emperor. Remember what I said before"

"H-huh?"

"Kneel"

"You seriously think i'll-"

"I don't think you understand the situation you're in"

Kaiser grabbed the girl by the hair and dropped her to the ground at your feet

"That wasn't a request or a question, kneel!"

The girl now with tears in her eyes just stayed on the ground. Looking at her now, a crying sniveling scared mess, you felt nothing but pity

"I can't believe I actually dated you and let you do what you wanted with me, you're so pathetic now, no, you've always been pathetic, I just needed someone to open my eyes"

You looked back at kaiser, who just gave you her signature grin back......and then kicked the girl in the stomach as soon as you turned your back for good measure

You went over to a bench to calm down and think about everything, kaiser immediately followed you and sat near you, ordering ness to bring you two bottles of water, when he came back kaiser handed one to you as you thanked her. When you took the first sip, your eyes darted over to your ex, who was still crying on the ground

"That was pretty brutal of you"

"Are you feeling bad for her or something?"

"No, I was just thinking that this was broadcasted. What are the media gonna say?"

"That we put another bitch in her place"

"Or that you made another girl cry. I just think you should have went easier on her"

"Schatz, I was going easy on her, you have no idea what I would have done if I ran into her in the parking lot"

"Knowing what you did to those police officers I can hazard a guess"

Kaiser giggled and started drinking again. She opened her eyes when she felt your hand intertwine with hers. She put the bottle on the bench and looked at you.....you were smiling at her

"Thank you"

"It's nothing, really"

"No I mean......thank you for loving me"

Kaiser felt your hand wrap around even more around hers

"I think you're the first person in my life to actually love me"

The blond and blue haired girl held your hand even tighter and looked at you once again. Your smile was so beautiful. It made her wish you smiled more so she smiled back at you, an equally beautiful and genuine smile

"The same goes for me"

Kaiser always knew you were the same as her. That's a big part of why she loved you so much. You two could empathize so much with each other. You were just like her, a person whose life was nothing but abuse, who wanted nothing more than to escape that hell. A person who, after years of hate and abuse, deserved to stand at the top of the world and be the best, you deserved to rule everyone else alongside her. She wanted you to be her emperor and be the best with her, because you deserved it, because even after more abuse than her, you still loved her.

She knew how much you completed each other, how much you needed each other to live and be happy, and she would never let you go, you were her emperor and if anyone wanted to hurt you ever again they would have to deal with her.

She gently pushed you towards her and kissed your lips passionately again. You obviously kissed back while your hands were still intertwined and your other arm instinctively made its way to the back of her neck

Your hands on her neck had the opposite effect of her father's. They were gentle and soft. You weren't choking her, but caressing her. It was like every touch healed her of one of the scars that piece of shit gave her. She couldn't have known it but her hands and lips had the exact same effect on you

Your lips parted away, and you smiled at each other again. In that moment, you thought the exact same thing, and you didn't need any words to communicate it

'I'm so glad you're in my life'

Kaiser already knew, maybe subconsciously, that the wishes from her childhood came true, that right now everything she wanted was right here because of you, but looking at your smile reminded her of how lucky she was to have you, because now what she spent all her childhood asking for was right on front of her.

She was free, and she was loved, all thanks to you, just as you were free and loved, truly loved, all because of her

[thesummerstorms]

I like the idea of Viago finding out from one of the Companions that Rook almost died during the ritual rather than from Rook themselves. Probably through asking for their outsider's opinion or recounting of Solas/the ritual rather than through asking about Rook directly since they're clearly up and okay and also Viago is cautious.

(He asked Rook too, to be clear, but Viago seems like a "give me all the data for analysis" guy.)

The thing is though, with Arsinoë I pretty much always bring Neve with me. I think Neve is quick enough at picking up cues and careful enough in general that if Arsinoë hasn't told her own Talon, Neve absolutely isn't going to do it. I just have to think she gets a decent cold read of the dynamics involved. Especially given Arsinoë's uncertainty at returning to Treviso.

I also think she warned Neve privately (though probably not Bellara or Harding) that she doesn't know that they'll be able to afford Lucanis except maybe as a one time consult, yes even though she's a Crow herself, yes even though the world is ending. She probably said something about Viago and Teia being more reasonable, but Neve could hear the tension in Rook's voice even if they were being positively contrasted to the other Houses. And In the process she stressed that she had no idea how things would play out with House Dellamorte in general, that she very purposefully had been kept away from the First House, so Neve shouldn't say more than they had to.

So even if asked for her analysis, Neve is going to be careful at not exposing Arsinoë or the team in general. Both out of wariness and out of respect.

Harding flat out doesn't trust Crows. Rook de Riva has apparently become somewhat of an exception in the last year, but to a non-Crow Rook, she has a lot of things to say about Crows being untrustworthy during Lucanis's recruitment mission. Even to a Crow Rook, she tries asking if they really need another assassin. So Harding is going to be guarded and also probably tense enough that no one is going to ask her anyway.

Bellara I think would be the most likely to miss the undertones of the situation and reveal something - but it's also just as likely she has no idea Rook took that blow to the head. She wasn't there for the ritual and has spent most of her time on the team working on the Eluvian.

So no one tells Viago and Teia that, yes, Rook almost died and was unconscious for two days after the head injury. Because Arsinoë also sure doesn't do it.

That does leave the possibility of someone revealing it by accident later and scaring Viago retroactively.

I've adopted the common-ish headcanon that Rook gets headaches from Solas's blood magic having to work too hard at times and decided that Arsinoë attributes it to some lingering side effects of the injury she got at the ritual. Head injuries are weird and she isn't a healer; her targets aren't supposed to live long enough to deal with the after effects of a concussion.

So then possibly she reveals it accidentally, either to Viago or to Teia, when talking strategy in the Diamond loops back around to talking about Varric. She is clearly in pain, but waves it off to the Talon- "Just another headache. I keep waiting for them to clear up, but I guess that was a hard blow."

Only to realize, whoops, pain distracted her thinking but she never actually described what happened and now she has a Talon looking at her with narrowed eyes and demanding an explanation.

Or else, possibly Lucanis asks Viago if he's been able to brew something that would help with Arsinoë's periodic headaches. Viago's speciality might be poisons, but he is still good with alchemy in general, and has a specialized understanding of anatomy. Lucanis assuming given their relationship (especially if he's seen Viago and Arsinoë mending that relationship) that Rook has already told her Talon what happened, only to then be caught in the unenviable position of giving Viago de Riva stale, third hand bad news. Including the fact that Neve told him she and Harding thought they were going to lose Rook too at one point in the midst of brute forcing healing spells and pouring potions down her throat.

I don't know if the latter quite works, but in either case I think it would be fun to freak out Viago but ALSO plant another hint to Lucanis and Neve (and the team in general but especially those two because feelings) that something isn't quite right with Rook. Viago smells a rat because the headaches don't make sense as an aftereffect of the injury, which is another breadcrumb on the trail.

And I think Neve and Lucanis both suspect eventually something is up, but even with the extra clues they just don't manage to put it together until after Tearstone because they both associate Blood Magic more with outright control/manipulation and by all accounts Rook's decisions/actions aren't all that different.

[trvqvoiisee]

Between Us

Part 3- Love Finds a Way

Part 2- The Almost Moment

Part 1- A Glimpse of More

Y/N stood, brushing crumbs off her jeans. “I should probably get going.”

Minho turned back to her, his hand still on the door where Maddison stood. “You don’t have to leave.”

Maddison looked between them, her perfectly manicured nails tapping against the strap of her designer bag. “Am I interrupting something?” she asked, her voice light but pointed.

“No,” Y/N said quickly, grabbing her bag. She didn’t want to deal with Maddison’s subtle jabs or Minho’s obliviousness to them. “I have some reading to catch up on anyway.”

Minho frowned, stepping away from the door. “Y/N—”

But she was already halfway to the door, smiling stiffly at Maddison as she passed. “See you later, Minho.”

She barely made it down the stairs of his apartment building before the tears started.

For the next few days, Y/N kept her distance, burying herself in schoolwork and dodging Minho’s texts. She told herself it was for the best. Whatever feelings she had, they would pass—just like every other fleeting crush she’d had before.

But this didn’t feel fleeting.

Friday night rolled around, and Y/N found herself curled up on her couch with a blanket and a pint of ice cream. The familiar opening chords of a rom-com played in the background, but her heart wasn’t in it.

A knock at her door pulled her from her thoughts.

“Coming,” she called, dragging herself off the couch. She swung the door open, only to find Minho standing there, his hands stuffed in his jacket pockets.

“Minho?” she asked, startled.

“Hey,” he said, his eyes searching hers. “You’ve been avoiding me.”

“I’ve been busy,” she lied, folding her arms over her chest.

“You’ve never been too busy for me before,” he countered, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.

Y/N closed the door, leaning against it. “What are you doing here?”

“I had to see you.” His voice was quiet, but there was an urgency to it. “Something’s been off, and I can’t stop thinking about it.”

Y/N’s throat tightened. “Minho, I’m fine. Really.”

“No, you’re not,” he said, moving closer. “You’ve been pulling away, and I don’t know why. Did I do something?”

She shook her head, unable to meet his gaze.

“Then tell me what’s going on,” he pressed.

The dam broke.

“I’m in love with you, okay?” she blurted, her voice trembling. “And it sucks, because I know you don’t feel the same way. So, yeah, I’ve been avoiding you. Because it hurts to be around you when all I can think about is how much I want us to be more than just friends.”

Minho stared at her, his expression unreadable. For a moment, she thought he might laugh or say something to ease the tension. But he didn’t.

Instead, he stepped closer, cupping her face in his hands.

“Y/N,” he said softly, “how could you think I don’t feel the same way?”

Her eyes widened. “What?”

“I’ve been in love with you for years,” he admitted, his thumb brushing against her cheek. “But I was too scared to ruin what we had. I didn’t want to lose you.”

She searched his eyes, her heart pounding. “You mean it?”

“Every word.”

And then he kissed her.

It wasn’t like anything she’d imagined—it was better. His lips were warm and soft, and the way he held her made her feel like she was the only person in the world.

When they finally pulled apart, Minho rested his forehead against hers, grinning.

“So,” he said, his voice teasing, “still think I don’t feel the same way?”

Y/N laughed, her heart lighter than it had been in days. “I might need some more convincing.”

“Gladly,” he murmured, kissing her again.

Outside, the city buzzed with life, but inside, in their little corner of the world, everything felt perfect.

For the first time, Y/N realized that their story wasn’t ending—it was just beginning….

An: Like,comment or repost if you want a part 4 also thank you for all the likes on parts 1 & 2 I appreciate it!!

[majaloveschris]

However, I don't know if leaking the contract would be bad for both of them. I think most people would be happier if this turned out to be PR rather than him being married to someone like her. And I mean her and her friends' personalities. You know the racist, pedo, and Nazi stuff. Maybe some people would be angry because he's lied, but I think most of us probably would be relieved he wasn't actually in love with someone like Alba. //

Logic anon coming in, people have to understand the fandom although it feels big is very small especially compared to the rest of the world. The general public doesn’t care about these two and many think she looks like she’s his daughter. Now, If this fandom were like the fandoms with “names” ie the Swifties, Belibers, etc This shitshow would have exploded publicly to the point the truth would have came out and there’d be no debate. The world would be aware of her and her friends and many would probably defend her, it would be team pr vs real on a bigger level. But technically something similar yet small did happen….. remember the “crazy” fan article in the beginning because the fandom was calling out the bs.

This stunt wasn’t for the fans, but I assume they thought this fandom would jump whenever Chris said to….wrong. The fandom went into detective mode so much to the point they kept having to keep up with the lies that so many called out. Remember all the holes in the cheese they tried to fill. If it were real, why the need to do that.

But yeah the point for whatever reason was to make this appear legit to the world, not this fandom. The fandom got involved because of how stupid things got. Had Chris and team learned that he had a MO that ONLY his fandom was aware of and had her and her little racist friends not trolled, things might be different.

Too much has happened for me to assume any of this is legit unless Chris has sincerely lost his mind, is going through a midlife crises or willingly thought being married might help his career/image? Idk 🤷‍♀️

In terms of said contract being leaked, that would be awesome for the fandom and possibly those who think he’s a red pill fool, but for the overall public…. I don’t think so. He’d be a liar and how could anyone trust someone who lied about being married, but again it’s Hollywood and business so who knows, it could be a shock factor, people discuss and then move on and he’s able to reinvent himself or something or people would crack jokes and never let him live it down, etc.

If a contract got leaked and had specific details it could help him and people would go omg look what Hollywood forced Chris Evans to do and I knew he’d never marry anyone that young, etc. ya know the “poor Chris”, coddling scenario he’s use to. 🙄

At most, a divorce could be announced and TMZ can state they were never legally married and leave people to question whatever. Chris moves on, focuses on his career and learns to keep his private life private and no more PR shit.

I think they thought Alba would get much more recognition and fans because of Chris. That the fandom will like her, that they will start following her and start her career. The why is beyond me, though. I wouldn't say even his real girlfriends were that liked by the public, so why would a fake one with whom they look so distant and who is a worse person than the others be? I don't think they thought this through.

I wouldn't say this wasn't for us; most of the time, a PR relationship is. A random person who's watched a few projects of yours won't start following or supporting someone's partner. A fan would. Like how many people have started following Travis since they went public with Taylor? A lot. I assume they wanted something similar to happen to Alba, but they didn't succeed. As you said, the general public cares more about the age gap and the appearance. They don't have to sell them anything because they don't care. They have to make it look legit for the fans, because they are the ones following all of their steps. They will be the ones who start following the partner or check out their works. When it comes to a PR relationship, the fans need to like the partner or accept them in the close circle. The general public just doesn't care enough to make someone's partner more famous; fans could do that. Chris's fans could've started liking Alba and watching her projects, making her more wanted in projects. That's why they wanted to sell the happy relationship; that's why they filled the holes. They need fans to do their parts, not the general public.

I still think leaking something would be the best. He's lost a lot of fans, and I'm not saying that would get him everything and everyone back, but this PR wouldn't still be better than him actually being in love with her. I think it would be. Obviously, that doesn't take away the stupidity of this whole thing and that he got involved in this. It wouldn't make everything okay, but it would make it better. General public doesn't care enough about this. They would forget about him being in a PR marriage after like a day, especially right now, when a lot of much worse things are going on. This wouldn't be the worst thing a celebrity did. Right now, they should care about fans, not about the general public. Those people who've left are the important ones. They're going to go and watch all of his movies, not the general public.

I just hope that if this is truly PR, they all learned from this and have already realized that this whole thing was a mistake and will never try something like this.

[secretly-tword-obsessed]

The Front Man Interferes

Hello Gigglers!

This is a fic I wrote because @estelle-skully wanted some lee!thanos content. Iv'e really wanted to write for Squid Game in a while, (and her HC's are so cute), so I thought I'd give it a go.

Sorry in advance for the mischaracterization, I've only really watched the season once but I did try my best.

Summary: In-Ho notices that Thanos is enjoying the games too much. He thinks the rapper needs to be taught a lesson.

Warning - this is a TICKLE FIC. If you are not a tickle blog pls DO NOT REBLOG. If you think tickle fics are cringe, just don't read it.

It was just another regular day for Thanos and his new buddy Nam Gyu. Well, at least as regular as it could be considering their situation. But there was one other thing - one hardly noticeable thing - that made this day abnormal.

Thanos felt successful.

He always looked successful. Rapping, prancing around, flirting without a single stutter. But this time he actually felt that confident vibe he gave off. And not because of the drugs.

Little did he know that somebody else caught on to this shift. A man who was observant enough to tell the fake carefree Thanos and the real carefree Thanos apart. And it wasn't his new friend, Nam Gyu.

In-Ho - otherwise known as the Frontman - had been observing Thanos' movements and behavior. He had watched him in Red Light Green Light - skipping along in ways that seemed incredibly dangerous. His smugness when he smashed the 'O' button. His little victory dance when the O's had won.

People weren't supposed to enjoy these games. They were meant to be exhilarated, but not in a positive way. They certainly weren't meant to feel like winners - merely like non-losers. The Frontman had a malicious desire to disrupt Thanos' spirit, to crack open this seemingly indestructible influencer for his own entertainment.

Nam Gyu and Thanos were playing a game where they guessed what their fellow players would spend their prize money on - which they wouldn't receive of course. The two of them were going to be the sole winners, and split the cash 50/50.

"Hey, what do you reckon player 001 would do with all that green?", Nam Gyu asked.

Thanos rubbed his chin and made another one of those absurd expressions which made Nam Gyu chuckle.

"That sad-looking one probably wants his own little cottage in the woods". Thanos said this in an exaggerated baby voice, not knowing that In-Ho was standing behind him. Nam Gyu hadn't said anything - he wanted to see what would happen.

"Oh really, is that what you think of me?", In-ho said in a menacingly soft tone, making Thanos jump. This caused his buddy to burst out laughing and Thanos' face to go red with agitation.

"You heard me!", Thanos snapped, standing up and stepping before the man he didn't know was the puppet master of him and his fellow players.

In-Ho chuckled, "Why are you getting so combative?"

This infuriated Thanos further, and he pushed In-Ho backwards, snapping "Fuck off sad-face".

In-Ho just shook his head and kept chuckling, regaining his balance impressively quickly.

"Your always so proud Thanos, always think your the best. You see every interaction as a competition of superiority".

In-Ho could practically see the smoke coming out of Thanos' ears. That was step one - getting on his nerves. Now it was time for step two - crumbling his narcissism. Bringing him down a few pegs.

"Your not responding because you know it's true", the Frontman grinned, causing Thanos to lash out at him again. In-Ho, with his lightning reflexes, jabbed a finger into Thanos' side and wiggled it gently, causing the rapper to miss his planned attack - whatever it was - and jump backwards with a squeak.

There was silence for a few moments. In-Ho looked to Nam-Gyu, who seemed to be holding back laughter. Perfect.

"Oh", In-Ho finally said after the silence that felt like an eternity, "I'm sorry, just self defense". He walked away, feeling accomplished.

When In-Ho left, Nam Gyu finally spoke, "Are you t-"

"No!", Thanos interrupted, although his trembling posture and pink cheeks told a different story.

Nam Gyu's mouth opened in disbelief - "No-ho! No way! You totally are!"

Thanos didn't have a retort. All he could do was feign confidence.

"I can't believe it!", his buddy said, getting more enthusiastic, "You! Of all people! I would expect it from somebody childish like that 456 guy, but you!"

Thanos felt like he could melt into the floor. That was when Nam Gyu started mocking him.

"Imagine that in a rap! I'm a legend, with my rapping and stuff. But if you touch my sides, I might just laugh"

"Enough!", Thanos finally snapped, "You shut up right now or I'll-"

He was interupted by another poke to his sides. This one made him jump with a high pitched "Heehee!"

Nam Gyu looked like he'd won the lottery. And Thanos, for the first time in his life, went with his flight reflex and ran. He bolted across the room, causing many players to lift their heads up and watch the display. Nam Gyu ran behind him, laughing manically.

"Hey, I wonder what those two are up too", Jung Bae said, sitting in a semicircle with his new allies. In-Ho smirked, "You'll see".

Thanos was finally caught by his treacherous new friend, and tackled to the ground.

"Ow!", he said, banging his head gently on the ground. "What the fuck ma- NAHAHAHA!"

The purple-haired boy burst into hysterical laughter, throwing his head back as Nam Gyu squeezed his hips with one hand and ribs with the other.

"Whoah!", Nam Gyu remarked with the biggest smile on his face, making it impossible to contain his excitement, "This is unbelievable!"

Thanos tossed and turned and kicked his legs, making Nam Gyu pin him down by sitting on his hips, moving both of his hands to scribble under the poor rapper's arms.

"No point trying to escape man, your efforts are futile", Nam Gyu teased, watching as Thanos tried to give an expression that was even a semblance of threatening through his face-wide grin and roaring laughter.

"FUHUHUHUCK OHOHOFF MAHAHHAHAN! I SWEHEHEAR! YOOUR DEHEHEHEAD!"

Nam Gyu smirked to himself, "Sure, whatever you say Mr.Confident".

Thanos laughter went higher pitched as Nam Gyu experimented with his sides, where he was initially poked, and changed his tactics to tracing circles. As if on command, Thanos' desperate cackles turned into light giggles.

"Nahahaha", he protested, trying to lean to the left to crush his assaulter's hand, to no avail.

"Oh my shit, this is adorable", Nam Gyu remarked, hardly even meaning it to be a tease, but it made Thanos' cheeks go a shade darker nonetheless.

As Thanos tossed and turned, he couldn't think of anything. Not his pride. Not his deeply buried fears and anxieties. Just those damn fingers making him fall to pieces. He let out a loud gasp as his attacker hit a particularly sensitive spot on the side of his right rib, making Nam Gyu concentrate all of his energy on that spot.

"PLEHEHEASE!", he begged.

"Wow, looks like Ive' gotten the all mighty Thanos begging-"

Now the teases were definitely intentional. Not that Thanos minded too much. Due to his absurdly extraverted persona, he didn't have many real friends, only shallow ones, ones that were drawn to the life of the party. But this level of playfulness and intimacy had been alien to him - this lighthearted banter between friends. Real friends.

In-Ho watched the whole scene from across the room, awfully pleased with himself. It seemed like the rapper had been taken down a notch.

"Wow, who'd have guessed Thanos would be ticklish", Jung-Bae said in awe.

"I did", In-Ho admitted, "I got sick of his bragging and wanted a way to both shut him up and embarrass him at the same time. I assumed he'd be ticklish somewhere cause, come on, everyone is, and I revealed that to his current attacker".

Jung-Bae considered this. Dae-Ho saw it as an opportunity.

"Wait, so if everyone's ticklish, you must be too In-Ho".

Well, it seemed like the Frontman's plan backfired.

Hope you enjoyed!

[ronancecats]

ok you got me super curious. why don't you like steve?

This is gonna be a long one, so unbuckle your seatbelts, slam on the brakes, and do a front flip out of the windshield.

I'm going to break it down by season because that will help me get all my points down, and I don't want to leave anything out. Also, a little disclaimer: I do like Steve's writing, and I appreciate the way he's developed and the role he plays, but with that being said, I still don't like him as a character.

I'm going to try and explain each reason the best I can, but I low-key suck at that so I'm sorry if anything seems confusing.

SEASON 1:

season 1 is the season that is most self-explanatory of why I don't like him, I don't think anyone genuinely likes him in season 1.

-He literally slut shamed Nancy. Like...I don't care if he was only a teenager/had bad friends. He would've been 17 and old ENOUGH to understand the consequences of that and that it would hurt Nancy...that's why he did it in the first place.

-he was awful to Jonathan, and I'm not necessarily talking about the breaking camera thing, I'm talking about what he said to him before the fight. He called him queer (a slur back in the 80's), insulted his family, and insinuated that he had something to do with his little brother's disappearance.

-He pressured Nancy into sex. NO, HE DID NOT SA HER. It was consensual, but with that being said, something can still be consensual and enjoyed while having pressure on top of that. Also, he didn't stop Carol when she was mocking Nancy and making her uncomfortable; he was smug about it. But yes, I understand he was just a teenager then.

-He just, in general, didn't respect her boundaries at all and made Barb's disappearance about himself AT FIRST.

SEASON 2:

-He left Nancy, black out drunk, at a party. Yes, he was heartbroken, but he left her there and she was really lucky that Jonathan was there.

There's not much else in season 2 honestly. Mostly my feelings about him in s2 come from the first couple episodes when all he wanted was to make Nancy forget about her guilt and leaving her at the party. But yeah, I don't care about him in s2.

SEASON 3:

There's nothing necessarily bad about him in s3. I just hate how they made him this big character but then pushed Jonathan to the side, but that has nothing to do with his character. That's just a personal pet peeve I have with the duffers.

S3 was definitely his best season and the only one I can say I liked him in. They let him focus on his platonic relationships instead of making him chase after Nancy the whole time, and I like that. If they kept him like this for s4, I probably wouldn't dislike him as much as I do, but they just had to make him go back to that and it ruined him for me. Hopefully in s5 they'll let him be like his s3 self again.

SEASON 4:

-the six nugget speech. OH MY GOD BROTHER EUGH. I could make a whole essay about this, but long story short, it was completely unhinged and just shows he only wants Nancy for his dream, and he doesn't really care about her dreams in a romantic sense. He's in love with the idea of her, not her.

In conclusion, I only like Steve when they don't make his entire character revolve around Stancy and that dead relationship. Let Stancy die, I BEG OF YOU. It's better for Steve, Nancy, Jonathan, and literally everyone who watched the damn show without rose-colored glasses for Steve.

If they just let the love triangle die in s2, I can almost guarantee that I would like Steve more. But alas, they didn't and kept it around as if we don't already know how it's going to end.

Anyway, I probably went into way more detail than you wanted me to, but oh well. I wanted to be honest.

[sunny374940]

Don't leave me, please

And poor Rook is suffering in the Fade prison. Come suffer with him.

Here on ao3

Here are my other stories

And if you want a continuation from Emmrich's pov it is here

Babes, it is finished @mercars-musings, @starfleetteddybear, @lavender-tea-fling, @redheadsramblings, @sorrowsfallallaround

Rook landed on his back with a thud, hitting his head against the hard stone. He lay there, too dizzy to get up, so he just stared up at the grey churning sky. He remembered Ghilan'nain dying, Lucanis lying motionless not far away from her. Emmrich was yelling at him to get the dagger and then… he was falling? His head was still spinning, it was hard to think… What was he missing? Oh, yeah.

Solas. The fucker.

Rook was so going to kill him once he got out of here. He got up gingerly, trying not to fall over right away from the waves of nausea running through him. His eyes finally focused and he really didn't like what he saw. This was where he talked to Solas. But back then he was over there, across the gaping chasm, and now he was… he was fucked, that's what he was. Solas couldn't manage to break out of here by himself and now Rook was here and he was alone.

He hoped the others were safe. But Bellara had been taken and Harding died and Lucanis was probably dead too. What if something happened to Emmrich as well? Rook left him behind again, even though he promised not to after that time the Venatori kidnapped him. It was the first time Emmrich got truly angry with him, and Rook vowed to himself not to let them get separated again and he fucked it up so bad.

But he couldn't stand there moping, he had to get out. He started walking, taking a random path upwards and there were voices, tangling together so that he couldn't make out a word, but someone was here, maybe Solas leaving kept the prison open somehow… he took off running, desperate to get closer to them.

“Why did you let me do it, Rook? I thought we were friends, why did you let me take down the wards? Elgar'nan will kill me and it'll be your fault!”

It was Bellara's voice, but he couldn't see her anywhere.

“Did you even think about Taash when you sent me to lead the distraction team? They loved me and now I'm gone because of you!”

And Harding! There was no way she could be here, was there?

“You let me die, Rook. I finally wanted to live and now I don't get the chance!”

Lucanis sounded so angry and Rook didn’t blame him. He should have protected them, what good was he as a leader if he couldn’t?

“You failed us all.”

He was turning around, trying to see where the voices were coming from, but there was only the same dull greyness everywhere. But he couldn't let them get to him, he had to get out and this was what the prison did, it would trap him in regretting the choices he made today, but he wouldn't let it!

“No! We all did what we had to do! You're not them! Shut up!”

The voices quieted down, but he still wasn't any closer to finding his way out, so he just picked a random direction and started walking.

It must have been days, at least. Or maybe weeks? Or hours? The never-changing greyish light didn't allow for any guesses about the passage of time. He did doze off a few times, curled up against a boulder, but didn't feel any better afterwards.

Rook was trying to navigate the winding pathways once again, when he heard footsteps coming from behind him, a familiar measured gait. He whirled around, hoping that he was right about who this was.

“Emmrich! How did you get in here?”

Rook was running to him, elated at finally, finally seeing him. It'd been too long, he was so worried about him, but he was here! He came for him!

“You left me again,” he said, his tone accusing, and his eyes were so cold it almost made Rook shiver. “You said you wouldn't, yet here we are.”

“Emmrich, I'm so sorry, Solas took the dagger and I couldn't-”

“Excuses, darling, that's all you ever have.”

And he turned and walked away into the misty darkness, leaving Rook standing there, unable to move.

“No, Emmrich, please, don't leave me here!”

His voice echoed in the emptiness. It wasn't Emmrich, just another creation of the prison sent to torment him, but that didn't make it hurt any less. And it didn't stop him from hoping that it would be him next time.

It was quite long before he saw him again.

“Please, stay with me,” he whispered, tears falling from his eyes. “I don't want to be alone.”

“Why would I? Don't you remember when the Venatori took you? You sent me away and you'll do it again.”

And Rook was left standing there, reaching out with a shaking hand to try and keep Emmrich from going.

He dragged himself through another round of futile search among the now familiar rocks. His stomach was hurting constantly from hunger, his throat was parched, but he didn’t seem to be dying just yet. Although he caught himself wanting to, after around the tenth time he encountered Emmrich.

There was no way out of here, no way to get back to the world and the moments of desperate hope that this time it would really be him and not some Fade illusion were unimaginable torture. He stopped going after him, no matter how much he wanted to. Not coming close was better than the unfeeling eyes.

He'd been trying to fall asleep after scouring the place once more for some crack that would let him out, when Emmrich appeared again and this time he came to Rook, who wasn't even able to get up and retreat. He was mocking him, spitting insults, denying his love for him and Rook just cowered on the ground and no amount of telling himself that Emmrich would never say those things would make him feel any better.

He'd had enough of the place. He decided to try the last thing he could think of doing to get out of there, the one he'd been putting off, because there was no telling what would happen if he failed. But he didn't care if he failed anymore.

He took off running to the edge and leapt. Maybe Fade rules were different and he would jump further than he normally could and maybe Solas wouldn't have thought of trying such a fucking stupid thing and that's why he was locked here the whole time and maybe he would succeed and finally be free. Or maybe he wouldn't succeed, but he would get peace at last.

He was at the highest point of his jump when he realized that he definitely wouldn't be reaching the other side and then he was falling, the darkness below swallowing him whole and he hit the ground hard.

Rook opened his eyes (when did he even close them?) and he was back in the same fucking spot as when he first got here! He choked on a sob. And another, and then he was crying, curling in on himself on the ground.

He heard footsteps, but he couldn't look up, he had no strength left to face whatever abuse he was meant to endure this time.

“Hey, kid.”

Rook started at the voice and risked a glance after all. Varric was settling himself down next to him and Rook couldn't quite manage to stamp down the hope that was traitorously growing inside him again. He sat up to study the dwarf and he looked healthier than he remembered him, the braces on his arm and leg were gone. That was weird…

“Varric? What are you doing here?”

“I think you know, don't you?”

Did he? Suddenly a wall he didn't know was in his mind came crashing down and the memories flooded him, making him sob again. Varric was here because he… wasn't, not really. He was dead. How could he have forgotten that his friend, the one who gave him a name he actually wanted to use for himself, was dead? The tears kept flowing, Varric patted his shoulder and Rook couldn't even remember the last time someone touched him with kindness.

“C'mon, enough with the waterworks. What's done is done,” Varric said, and he was watching him with a small smile that had Rook's heart breaking.

“I- I'm so sorry, Varric, it was my fault, I-”

“Shut up, kid. I might be short but that doesn't mean I'm a child. I made my decision, just like you made yours, and sometimes our decisions are fucking stupid, but we have to live with them. Or die, in my case. But you can't be stewing in your regret forever, that's not helping anyone.”

“I- you're right, but… I'll miss you.”

“I'll miss you too, but that's life for you.”

Rook heard voices again, but this time they sounded urgent, making him stand up to look around. Varric was standing up too and he grabbed at Rook’s arm, pointing at a pinprick of light glowing brightly in the grey landscape.

“Now get the hell out of here and do what you do best.”

“I don't even know what that is anymore.”

“Be you, Rook. And cause chaos, you're good at that.”

There was a flash of greenish light and the pinprick grew into a crack and a hand thrust its way through, searching for something. The clink of the bangles was unmistakable and if this was another trick of the prison then Rook thought he would die on the spot.

“Go, they need you. And you need them.”

“Thank you, Varric. For everything.”

“Anytime, kid. Anytime.”

And then Varric was gone and Rook caught Emmrich's hand and let himself be pulled out into the blinding light. They fell to the ground together and Rook knew that he was staring at him, but he wasn't sure that he believed this, not after all the times his hopes were so cruelly dashed. Was it really him? But Emmrich was warm and smiling at him with such joy that it had to be true, he couldn't even entertain the possibility that it wasn't.

Emmrich was sitting up carefully, treating him like a cat that might spook at any moment, and Rook definitely wouldn't allow himself to be dislodged now, so he resettled himself to sit across Emmrich’s lap. He'd missed his place there so much. He looked up into Emmrich's face and he looked awful, for lack of a better word, eyes bloodshot with dark circles under them, exhaustion evident in every line of his face.

“How long was I in there?” he asked, because there was stubble on Emmrich's cheeks and it didn't look like it happened just overnight.

“A few weeks, darling, but what matters is that you are here now.”

A few weeks? It felt like much longer, like he'd been there forever, but now he was out and Emmrich came for him, even when he'd lost all hope.

“I- I thought I'd never see you again.”

And Rook was crying, holding onto him with trembling hands, and he was finally safe with his love.

[obxocmuses]

Summer truly appreciated her adoptive parents she really did. Despite going through a manic and slightly destructive phase towards them, not fitting in and constant arguing over the past years. They had treated her kindly and never laid a hand upon her. Even though she probably deserved it for what she put them through. The blonde had come to an understanding with them after the truth despite being hurt for kept hidden when she could’ve spent years getting to know JJ if they were aware. She nodded and smiled shyly at his words. A low giggle escaped at his short while that may be the case. "Bless, it’s okay what would they do without you if you weren’t the way you are? They love you for it, I’m sure. Never dull or boring with you," she teased. "Are you sure you don’t want sit down?" she questioned as she noticed him shift to his good side. He had to have been in pain standing. "Yeah, it falls on the Friday so that’s good. I’m thinking perhaps my parents could do without the carnage as to what transpired last year," she chuckled at the memories. While the alcohol was flowing they certainly didn’t appreciate broken windows and ornaments. "Do you…. Would you like to come? I can also invite the others. Nothing too mental this time. It’ll just be on the beach to so you can relax all you want? A change of scenery from the hospital and this place," she offered.

that was where summer and jj’s similarities ended, really. she had parents that cared about her, even if there were tensions there when it came to the adoption, while jj was kind of lost in the middle of the water with no paddle when it came to parentage. he had his little family in his friends, but there weren’t any shoe boxes full of photos of him growing up. and his childhood home was torn away from him by someone who he was pretty sure lived down the street from where he stood, for no real reason besides the fact that kooks had money to burn and they were bored of their side of the island. it had been almost two full months but it still seized something in his heart. but he focused back on what summer was talking about. “that’s great,” jj said with a genuine smile, though it was a small one. “yeah i get being a pain in the ass kid,” he snorted. “still don’t think i’ve grown out of that yet.” shifting his weight so he was leaning almost all of it on his good, unstabbed, side, the blonde nodded. “oh yeah, your birthday’s soon…simple hm? why no rager?”

[yuseirra]

forever

[feroluce]

Lucid Dreamer (1/2)

part 2

Gepard notices that it's been. Quiet lately. Like weirdly quiet. TOO quiet. He hasn't seen Sampo Koski in almost a week, which is about the longest he's ever been absent. And he is NOT worried. He's not! So what if they've been getting along more lately! So what if Gepard sometimes looks for him in his favorite hiding places! So what if he's been dreaming about blue hair and green eyes! It's nothing!!

But they're….strange, these dreams. Gepard doesn't usually remember what he's dreamt. It's out of his mind seconds within waking up. But these stick with him, they won't leave him be, they feel different somehow.

He dreams of Sampo bringing food to the frontlines and eating breakfast in his tent with him. Sampo always sneaks him extras. He dreams of chasing Sampo through the alleyways, Sampo sometimes letting himself be caught, Gepard sometimes catching him, and trying to ignore how it feels more like a game now more than anything else. He even dreams that Sampo tags along with him on one of his few civilian days. Sampo runs errands with him, prattles about inane bullshit while Gepard picks out groceries for the week, drags Gepard into some bakery he's never been to but he thinks Serval mentioned once.

And sometimes, it feels so close to reality, that Gepard half expects to see Sampo, shamelessly swaggering into the frontlines with all the guards' breakfast like his wanted poster wasn't only recently taken off the walls of Belobog. He's disappointed when it's always someone else instead. He tells himself his disappointment is ridiculous and if Sampo wants to go prowl around the Snow Plains or wherever he is, then fine. It's not any of his business.

…But it IS his job to investigate any unusual criminal activity relating to the frontlines. And the frontlines are Sampo's usual haunting grounds, and this is unusual activity, and Sampo IS technically a criminal, so it is absolutely part of his duty to look into this - is what Gepard tells himself the entire tram ride down into the Underground.

Natasha tells him he's gone, and Gepard has to steel himself. He knew Sampo made enemies wherever he went, there are a lot of people who would love his head on a platter, but he didn't think-

Natasha corrects him that she means literally gone. As in off-planet. Sampo always leaves her a note before he goes anywhere, so she knows not to expect any supply runs from him. He should be back in exactly two weeks. Thank the Preservation.

Gepard goes back home. He waits.

The uneasiness doesn't leave him.

"Where did you go?" Sampo stops dead in the middle of some story about Seele, and how you'd think someone with as blunt a mouth as her wouldn't have so much trouble asking a woman out, even if that woman IS the Supreme Guardian, and stares at him. He nearly fumbles his cigarette.

"Ahaha, what do you mean, I'm right here?" Sampo smiles at him the same way he always does. Gepard has no idea why he asked. It just popped out. He can never tell when Sampo is lying, anyway.

"I don't know. I feel like I haven't seen you in a long time." Gepard idly mouths at his own cigarette. He almost never smokes, but he wants to ration their stocks of Blizzard Immunity, and it helps with the cold. It's seemed colder lately, for some reason.

Gepard flicks his lighter once, twice, sighs at the third time because a metal prosthetic and thick gloves make the damn things so difficult. Sampo reaches over and wordlessly kisses the end of his cigarette to Gepard's, lighting it. "Thank you."

Nothing happens for almost a full 30 seconds. Something churns behind Gepard's ribcage. Because Sampo never leaves a "thank you" hanging. This is the part where he gives his spiel about how helpful and kind he is and Gepard either brings up how long his rap sheet was before Bronya helped clear his name, or just stares deadpan because seeing Sampo squirm is weirdly satisfying.

"…I'll be back in one more week."

Gepard jolts awake in his cot, mouth dry and eyes bleary.

The hell.

The next dream he has, Sampo looks tired. Sometimes he seems normal. Sometimes he says strange things, like how he wishes he'd gone to some restaurant in Belobog. Ate his favorite food more recently. Brought something with him. Gepard asks why he can't do that now. Where would he bring something? Sampo only shrugs. His rebuttals have less energy.

Gepard doesn't know if he wants to dream more, or less.

He ticks down the days on his calendar. Natasha hasn't told him any different. She promised she would if she got any kind of message. Sampo returns tomorrow, from whatever vacation or seedy business dealings he's been off having. He is not excited about it. He is not looking forward to it. He's not!!

Gepard falls asleep late that night, unable to settle. He dreams again.

He's alone. There are tons of people everywhere, the frontlines are always crowded. But he's alone. They all pass right by him as though he were a ghost. Gepard starts to walk before he realizes his feet are even moving.

He checks the trashcans in the dead end alley. He checks the supply crates that someone always stacks too high because they don't feel like finding more space for them. He pauses to check the soldiers that march past him, watching their footprints in the snow.

He finally finds Sampo on the rooftop along the northernmost wall, the one that looks out over the plains, towards Everwinter Hill, towards where the Stellaron had once been kept. With a full moon and an entire land of white snow, Gepard can almost see clear out to the horizon.

"Found you." Sampo stiffens, and Gepard is almost prepared for him to sprint off the roof. He doesn't. But he doesn't relax either. Gepard sits down next to him and stares out at the wastelands.

"…I fucked up." It wasn't what Gepard had been expecting. Sampo never 'fucks up,' Sampo just gets into incidents that are entirely, supposedly, not his fault and that he just happens to always be within the vicinity of.

"What did you do now?" It must be really bad if Sampo is coming to the Silvermanes for protection.

Instead, Sampo ignores his question completely. "See out over there? Right on the other side of that mountain. There's a safe house that way. It's hidden under a lot of snow and dead trees, but it's there. And in that safe house is a box full of letters. I need you to deliver those letters for me."

Gepard's brow furrows. It's a weird favor to ask. Sampo would never tell anyone where his hidden safehouses were. It defeated the whole purpose of a hidden safe house.

Something is wrong, something is really really wrong.

Gepard turns back to look at him again and startles, all of his questions dying in his throat, because the entire left side of Sampo's head is suddenly matted down, dark and sticky, his skin is dyed red red red-

"In three more months, there's gonna be something big happening." Gepard grabs Sampo's hand and it feels slick and warm against his palm. "I won't be here. So I need you to do my end of things for me." Gepard tries to keep hold, but something is fading, something is slowing, the sun is coming up but the colors are all wrong, everything feels like encroaching fog, Sampo's hand slides right through his. "I was gonna come back with my mask to finish setting the stage, but…" Gepard makes a frantic grab for Sampo's wrist, the air twists, he comes back empty-handed. "They have you. And you're the Iron Wall of Belobog. So it'll be ok."

Gepard finally manages to find his grip, snatches the front of Sampo's dark wet jacket and yanks him forward to hold onto him, and this close up, he can see it better, his colors are bleaching out, leaking outside the lines as if Sampo will become part of the background, as if he's fading into the strange fog that's been closing in on them. His fingers are already starting to feel empty again.

"Wake up."

Gepard jolts awake, uncurls his hands from where they're fisted in the blanket, scrubs the dampness off his face. Breathes. Breathes. Breathes. Today is supposed to be the day.

He throws on his civilian clothes, and he goes down to the shipyard the IPC had built. He finds a spot where he can see every person that returns to Belobog, and he waits.

And he waits and he waits and he waits.

No one he recognizes appears.

[roots-symphony]

do you think the reason agatha’s trial felt weird is because she was the only one who did not actually buy into the mythos of the road since she knew the truth? like that was why no perspective change and all the other reasons why people thought it was a fake trial